Movable contact for electric switches.



v C. G. PERKINS. MOVABLE CONTACT TOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES.

APPLICATION IILEDJAH. 14, 1909.

946,685. Patented.Jan.18,1910

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UNITE STATES PlUllENTlf OFFICE.

CHARLES G. PERKINS, 0F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT. ASSIGNOR TO THE ARROW ELEC- TRIC COMPANY. OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT; A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

MOVABLE CONTACT FOR'TELECTRIC SWITCHES.

l Application filed January 1 To all whom it may concern:

' contactends and-can be comparatively short so that the switch maybe compact, the. contact ends are peianitted a maximum amount of yielding in order that they mayconforni to the location and shape of the stationary contacts and make close-engagement there- Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows on enlarged scale a plan of a contact plate which embodies this invention. Fig. .2 shows a central vertical section of a switch provided with a single contact plate which embodies the invention, and has its ends designed to engage pairs of stationary contact lingers. Fig. 3 shows a section of a switch provided with a. pair of contact plates whichemlunly the invention, that are adapted to engage single fixed contacts. Figj 4 shows on larger scale, a pair of contact. plates which embody the invention, mounted on studs adapted to be secured to such a supporting plate asis shown in Figs. 5 and (S.

The base 1 of the switches may be any size and shape, and maybe made of any suitable material, such as porcelain. Rotarily mounted centrally of the base is the usual operating spindle 2 with its handle 3 and coil spring 4, which is made tense by turning the handle, for throwing the movable contact supporting plate 5, when the lock mechanism (5 'is released. The lock mechanism is not. shown and described in detail, for any connnon form of mechanism may be used, and this forms no feature of the present invention.

The movable contact supporting plate which is shown in the first form ct" switch i that is illustrated. has upwardly turned integral arms 7.

Mounted on these arms and snitablv insulated therefrom bv Insulating Speci tcation ofLetters Patent- 'Patcntcd Jail. 18, 1910.

4, 1909. Serial No. 472,190. 7

washers S is the movable contactf. This movable contact may be a single plate 5) of substantial thickness and rigidity. a shown in Fig. l, or may he a p'ir of plates 10, -which are much thinner and have more resiliency. as shown in Fig. 3. 'here a single plate is usednthe ba e is usually provided shown in Fig. but wlwre two yielding 'that is thrown by the spring. the base is provided with a single contact plate 12, as shown in Fig. 3. Each of these movable contact plates, whether it be a single thick plate, as shown in Fig. 2,01 two thin plates asshown in Fig.3, has a central ()pening'13 which spans the actuating mechanism, and two openings It in line with the longitudinal axis, that is, t]: axis which extends through the contact ends 15 of the plate, as shown in M Fig. 1. This plate is provided with slots 16, which encircle the openings 14 that. re-

ceive the insulating bushings and the sup porting arms,-and these slots desirably extend parallel with the outer cdgcs of the plate from outside of the openings for the supports toward the middle a greater or less distance, as shown itr Fig. l. \Yhen this plate is mounted, thca'rins from the supporting plate and the insulating bnshings are passed through the openings t-t in line with the axis, and are secured tightly in place by heading over the upper ends of the arms. Although these supporting points; are rigid and are in line with the axis of the plate so that the contact ends of the plate are but, a short distance from the rigid supports, as a result of the slots, the ends of the plates have much resilience and can yield so as to.readily accommodate themselves to the stationary contacts.

' As shown in Fig. 3, the supporting plate 17 may beprovided with studs 18. instead of having arms turned up, as previously de scribed. which studs are in ulated from the contact plate or plates they support. If desired, studs 19 may be first fastened to the contact plate or plates, as shown in F et, and then attached to such a supporting plate 20. as is shown in Figs. 5 and ti.

This invention. as stated, relates to the con truction of the movable contact. whether it is made up ofa single plate or of two similar plates, and whether those plates are mounted sing y or i pairs. on arms proplates are mounted on tl-e supporting plate with a pair of \'iclding,cont:u-t arms ll. as y jecting integrally from thesupporting plate, or on studs pro ecting fromlhe supporting plate, or studs made fast to the supporting plate after the contact plate or plates have been secured thereto. v a

The invention claimed is z" 1. A movable contact platelfor an electric switch formed of a piece of flexible conduct,

2. A movable contact plate for an electric switchformed of a piece of flexible conduct ing material with contact ends, a central opening, openings for the supports between the central openlng and contact ends in line with the longitudinal axis of the plate, and slots encircling the support openings between the said openin s and the'contact ends and extending back 0t said openings so that the said contact ends are connected with the supporting portion of the plate at the sides only, whereby the contact ends will yield independently of the portions of the plate provided with the said sup'p'opt openings.

3. A movable contact for an electric switch comprising a pair of plates, each formed of a piece of flexible conducting material with contact ends, a central opening, openings for the supports between the central opening and contact ends in line with the longitudinal axes of the plates, and slots extending in each plate between the support openings and the contact ends so the said contact ends will yield independently of the portions of the plates provided with the said support openings.

4. In an electric switch, the combination of an actuating spindle, a SHPPOl'llllg' plate. a pair of contact plates formed of flexible conducting material mounted on said suporting plate, each of said contact plates liaving contact ends, a central (){Xlllllg for the passage of the spindle, openings for the supports between the central opening and the contact ends in line with the longitudimil axes of the plates, and slots extending between'thc support openings and the contact. ends so the said contact. ends will yield independently of the portions of the plates provided with said support openings.

CHARLES G. PERKINS.

\ l/Vitnesses: V i

H. R. WILLIAMS, J osnrnmn M. Srnnnrrnn 

